


Hotsprings

by TheJaniMarki



Category: Edens Zero (Manga)
Genre: F/M, Jelsie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:35:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27127291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheJaniMarki/pseuds/TheJaniMarki
Relationships: Elsie Crimson/Justice
Kudos: 9





	Hotsprings

Elsie sighed, stretching her arms up over her head and groaning as she relaxed into the hot springs. 

It was later in the night, and Elsie technically wasn't supposed to be in the public eye without her disguise on. 

However, she knew no one would be at a small hotsprings resort in the Obsidian Isles at such a late time, and the mask she had to wear was itchy and made her sweat anyway.

Plus, the Obsidian Isles were a neutral ground for criminals and agents alike. As long as Elsie stayed on the Isles soil, Justice nor anyone in the Oracion Seis galactica could capture her.

So, despite the fight Hyouga put up, she decided to take a quick dip in the Isle's famous hot springs before heading off to look for Ziggy.

Her long red hair fell in front of her face, grazing the patch of cloth covering her left eye. She leaned back against pool, looking up to the starry night sky.

Elsie closed her eyes, thinking back to all the times she would sneak out into the gardens of Edens Zero, sitting against the railing staring at the stars.

She remembered how one of the shining stars would always catch her. Witch would always take her to the kitchen and cook her a midnight snack. Ivry would usher her back to bed. Hermit would promise not to tell on her and then sneak to her secret gaming room. 

And Valkriye.

Valkriye would always sit with Elsie, letting her snuggle up under her arm and telling her all about the different planets. 

She missed the Android, learning of her death only a few months after it occurred. She was devastated. Hyouga and Gowen even had to take over the ship for a few days while she left to visit her old friend. 

Elsie let herself smile at the thought of her, letting herself be happy with just the image of her in his head.

Elsie truly loved Valkriye, more than she loved anything else in the world. Like a daughter would adore her mother.

Part of her wished to be by her side, the other knew that if anyone deserved to be with Valkriye, it was Homura Kogetsu.

A brilliant swords-woman with a strong soul carrying on her legacy through a pirate and an space adventurer

Elsie sighed, running a hand through her hair as she suddenly thought of Justice, a frown forming in her face. 

She didn't know what she had done besides being an outlaw to piss him off so much. Maybe he just loved to hate criminals?

Suddenly, Elsie heard the door from the building to the hotsprings open, and a loud sigh. 

"You're kidding."

Elsie smirked as the deep voice graced her ears, knowing who it was immediately.

Looking up, Elsie face broke out into a grin as she saw Justice standing above her, a towel wrapped around his hips. 

"Justice." She said back, watching with amusement as he rolled his eyes.

"You're so lucky this planet is neutral ground." He seethed, his fist curling up.

Elsie gave him a large smile, closing her eyes and putting an arm up on the ledge. She ran a hand through her hair again, trying to get it to stop sticking to her forehead.

"Please, you couldn't catch me if you tried." Elsie responded, looking back up at Justice.

Justice was staring forward, his stare hard. He looked down to Elsie, his eyes filled with an overwhelming hatred.  
"Well? What are you waiting for? Get in lover boy." Elsie spoke, and Justice just grumbled before stepping into the hot springs, sitting down against the obsidian ledge right across from Elsie.

Justice crossed his arms, putting his head on the marble tile floor behind him and looking up at the stars, ignoring Elsie as best he could.

Elsie continued to stare, feeling more and more intrigued. He looked so calm now, not trying to capture her. His face was sculpted like a gods, his jaw strong and his eyes a deep crimson color.

His white fluffy hair stuck out in all directions, and as the wind blew through it Elsie noticed a scar on his left cheek, that's was originally covered by his hair. His chest was large and wide, his muscles relaxed as he sunk deeper into the hotsprings. He wore necklace over his collar bone, a small broken crystal at the end of a plain black rope. 

"So-" Elsie started, causing Justice to flinch.

She snickered to herself, crossing her legs and putting her hands on her legs, leaning closer to him.  
"What do you want?" He asked, sounding tired and annoyed.

Elsie smiled, leaning back as a sign of peace and pulling her hair over one shoulder.  
"Why are you so intent on capturing me." She cut right to the point, watching his eyes narrow up at the stars.

"You're a criminal. It's my job." He replied shortly, his tone slightly angry.

Frowning, Elsie wanted to press further. He was so intent on it, it couldn't be just that. She noticed his scar once again. Maybe that had something to do with it.

"That's a nasty scar you've got there." She commented, and within an instant Justice was standing, his large stature towering over Elsie.

She smirked as she looked up, knowing she had pressed just the right buttons.  
"You would know, wouldn't you?" He growled, his hair covering his eyes.

Elsie's eyes narrowed, her face contorting into an expression of concern and confusion. "What does that mean?" She asked.

Justice walked closer, putting his hands on either side of the hot spring pool edge and leaning down to Elsie. His necklace dangled over her, and despite her growing attraction to him she kept her composure.

Justice was angry, his breathing became heavy and he wouldn't look Elsie in the eye, his long bangs shielding his piercing red eyes from her view.  
"You gave me this scar. After you brutally beat my brother to death." 

Elsie's calm dropped at the mere mention of a death by her hands, and she stood quickly, pushing Justice away. She pinned him against the pool wall, her hair draping over his shoulders.

She glared into his eyes, his stare rivaling her own.  
"I don't know who killed your brother, but it sure as hell wasn't me. I've never killed anyone, and I don't plan to."

He growled, grabbing her arm forcefully.  
"Then why the hell do I remember your beaten and bruised face standing over my body?!"

Elsie's glare weakened, her eyes seeming to glaze over as all the breath in her lungs evaporated. A hazy memory came to her mind, the screams of many children. She remembered the figure of a skeleton faced Android holding a young boy by the neck, the boy struggling to get away as fire burned around her home planet. 

She remembered the feeling of another body in her arms. A boy with fluffy white hair. 

She felt a sting in her arm as the memories of the android, Ziggy, grabbing her by the arm and dragging her away from the boy, watching at the one she held wheezed for life next to his dead brother. 

Her screams rang in her ears, and she blinked away tears as her body returned to the present time. She looked back to Justice, watching as her hot tears hit his chest.

"Ziggy killed your brother.....not me." she whispered, feeling Justice tense under her.

"How could you expect me to believe you?" Justice asked, his tone still angry.

Elsie sniffled, her eyepatch growing wet as tears rolled from her busted eye.  
"We used to be neighbors, before Ziggy invaded the planet. Your brother, Jordan was his name, right?" Elsie asked, Justice's muscles winding up even more now.

He was silent for a moment before nodding, looking up to Elsie with a sad frown.  
"That bastard invaded our planet, don't you remember now? You joined him, killed my brother, and left me homeless and an orphan." Justice seethed, still laying stiff under Elsie.

Elsie's arms shook, and she shook her head.  
"You're wrong. Ziggy took me away. I tried to fight him, and when he found out I had ether gear he stole me away. I did knock you unconscious, I didn't want him finding out about your ether gear as well. He strangled Jordan right in front of me." Elsie explained, more tears rolling down her face.

"He's the reason...." Her voice cut off, a sob rippling through her body. Her arms gave out, and she fell into Justice's arms. 

He instinctively wrapped them around her, pulling her close and putting his head on hers as she clutched his arm.  
"Please Justice, you have to believe me." 

Justice was silent for a moment, the whole world still as Elsie laid in his arms, trying to push away the awful memories of the day she was stolen away from her home.

"I always knew you hadn't killed him. I know you loved him just as much as I did." 

Elsie nodded, a smile forming on her face as she looked up to Justice. She laughed weakly through her tears, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him tightly.

"Thank you for believing me."

Justice chuckled, wrapping an arm around her back and leaning his forehead against hers.  
"It's not that I believed it, but that I remembered it." He spoke softly before she chuckled as well.

Elsie laid her head on Justice's shoulder, closing her eyes and listening to the soft beating of his heart, happy that Justice made her remember.

And as terrible as that day was, at least she managed to save one person.


End file.
